External counterweight device for gondola car dumpers



June 2, 1931. w. E. ERICKSON 1,807,902

EXTERNAL COUNTERWEIGHT DEVICE FOR GONDOLA CAR DUIPERS Filed Dec. 19,1927 5 sheets-Sheet 1 [in/elder June 2, 1931. v w c N EXTERNALCOUNTERWEIGHT DEVICE FOR GONDOLA CAR. DUIPERS Filed Dec. 19, 1927 5Sheets-Sheet? 25 2 71. J Inventor June 2, 1931. w, ERICKSQN 1,807,902

EXTERNAL COUNTERWEIGHT DEVICE FOR GONDOLA CAR DUIPERS Filed Dec. 19.1927 5 Sheets-Sheet a June 2, 1931. w. E. ERICKSON 1,807,902

EXTERNAL COUNTERWEIGHT DEVICE FOR GORDOLA CAR DUIPERS Filed Dec. 19.1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 June 2, 1931. w. E. ERICKSON 1,807,902

EXTERNAL COUNTERWEIGHT DEVICE FOR GQNDOLA CAR DUIPERS Filed Dec. 19,1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented June 2, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT creme.

VIILLARD ERICKSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 LINK-BELT COMPANY,OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS EXTERNAL OOUNTERWEIGHTDEVICE FOR G'ONDOLA CAR LUMPERS Application filed December 19, 1927.Serial No. 240,894.

My invention relates to improvements in car dampers and has for oneobject to provide a new and improved type of car dumper wherein the caris held in place on the cradle by a car holding clamp, the clamp beingheld in place by a counterweight, which counterweight is supported at apoint removed from the cradle. Another object is to provide meanswhereby greatly increased clamping effect may be obtained and whereby arelatively light clamp counterweight may be used. Another object is toprovide a car dumper wherein the clamps are held in place through thedifferential action of a counterweight control drum. Other objects willappear from time to time throughout the specification and claims.

My invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in theaccompanying drawing's, wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic end view with parts in section with the carin the upright position;

Figure? is a view the car tilted to the point where the clamps engagethe car;

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the car in a still further tiltedposition;

Figure at shows the car in the final extreme dumping position;

. Figure 5 is an elevation in part section of the holding drum;

Figure 6 is a section along the'line 66 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the cradle with parts in section. 1

Like parts are indicated by like characters throughout the specificationand claims.

The cradle comprises two or more roller rings A, traveling and supportedby fixed rollers A A on brackets A A on the foundation A The hopper Awhich is carried gether and'the entire assembly is rotated by means of acable A dead ended at both ends similar to Figure 1 with on the rollerring, wrapped around the ring and around asheave A power being appliedto the sheave through a driving shaft A from any suitable source ofpower to rotate the assembly. 1

Mounted on one side on the framework A is a buffer plate B adaptedtoengage the side of the car as the cradle rotates. The car itself rideson rails B on the laterally movable transfer table 13 which table issupported on rollers B on track plates E the idea being that as thecradle rotates from the upright position shown in Figure 1 toward thedumping position, the transfer table and car will move to the left untilthe side of the car engages the plate B, the movement being greater orless as the case may be depending upon the clearance between the car andthe sides of the cradle. At some time after the transfer table has movedand come to rest and the car engages the'plate B, the clamp carriage Bwill descend along the guide column B which is a part of the frame Auntil the car clamping shoe B on the clamp carriage engages the top ofthe car. Shortly before this the car engaging shoe B on the clamp beam Bwill also engage the'top of the car, the beam B being pivoted on thecarriage B to permit relative movement thereby compensating for anyinaccuracy or irregularity in the height of the car. My inventionrelates to the means for raisi and lowering the clamps and to the meanfor holding them in position to take the load of the car as the cradleis rotated to the dumping position.

Referring first to the means for raising and lowering or resetting theclamps, the cable C is dead ended at the upper end of the guide 13,extends overa sheave C on the clamp carriage-B thence up over a sheave Con the guide member B and thence down to the small diameter clamp drum Cabout which it is wound, thence extends about a sheave C on the rollerring A across over a sheave G on the lifting carriage C and thence backto the point C where it is dead ended adjacentthe sheave C The liftingcarriage C is provided with rollers C C adapted to travel along thecurved guides C in the roller ring A so that the sheaves C and C may bepermitted to move toward each other and may be drawn up by thecooperation of the stop (3 on the foundation with the stop engaging lugC on the lifting carriage. In the position shown in Figure 1 the sheavesC and C are drawn apart, thereby the drum C is rotated, raising theclamps away from the car. D is the holding rope dead ended below thebuffer plate B on the far side of the cradle. It extends up about thesheave D on the clamp beam B thence across about a sheave D on the clampcarriage B thence down to where it is wound about a drum D rigidlyconnected to and rotating with the clamp drum C upon which drum it isdead ended. Vhen in the position shown in Figure 1, this rope is paidout. When in the position shown in Figure 2, this rope has been Woundabout the drum into the shortened position and the car is held in placeon the cradle.

E is a counterweight drum concentric with the drum D Mounted on theclamp drum C is a ratchet E A dog E on the drum E is adapted to beyieldingly forced by the spring E into engagement with the ratchet tolock the two drums together. The tail of the dog has a roller E When theparts are in the position shown in Figure 1 this roller is engaged by acam E to hold the dog out of engagement with the ratchet and leave thetwo drums, namely the clamp drum and the counterweight drum free torotate with respect to each other independently. Wound about thecounterweight drum and dead ended thereon is a cable E extending downover a sheave E thence over a sheave E on the take-up or clamp liftingcounterweight E and thence up to the point E where it is dead ended.This cable tends to rotate the counterweight drum in a clockwisedirection. It will be noted that as the cradle rotates from the positionshown in Figure 1 to the position shown in Figure 2, the distancebetween the drum and the sheave E decre'as'essomewhat and thecounterweight drum is rotated, allowing the dog to travel along the cambut it does not travel far enough to bring the roller out of engagementwith the cam and to permit the clamp and the counterweight drums to belocked together.

F is the clamp holding counterweight cable. It extends from thecounterweight F up over the sheave F and is wound about and dead endedon the counterweight drum, being wound about it in a direction oppositeto the take-up cable. The take-up sheave tends to rotate thecounterweight drum against the tension of the counterweight cable andwhile the parts are in the position shown in Figure 2, the counterweightcable and the counterweight drum exert no influence whatever on theclamps. Further rotation ofthe cradle however into the positionshown inFigure 3 lengthens the counterweight cable between the sheave F and thedrum. Since this calble is balanced between the holding counterweightand the take-up counterweight, this causes rotation of the counterweightdrum into the position shown in Figure 3. When the roller on the tail ofthe dog leaves the cam, the spring engages the ratchet and the clamp andcounterweight drums are locked together. Further rotation of the cradlecauses the counterweight cable to be drawn out over the sheave F andmoves the counterweight from the position shown in Figure3to theposition shown in Figure 4. At this time the counterweight carries aturning movement on the counterweight drum and the clamp drum andthereby the weight of the counterweight is effective to hold the clampin place to maintain the car in position on the cradle. It will beunderstood that the sheaves F are in place merely to guide the twocounterweight, cables around the corner of the cradle, the take-upcounterweight tra'vels' up with the main holding counterweight but hasno influence owing to its light weight in proportion to the holdingcounterweight. It merely is always present to maintain a tension on thecable system.

It will be noted that the differential action between the largecounterweight drum and the small clamp drum gives thecounterweight anadvantage whereby a relatively light counterweight is suflicient to holdthe clamps against the load of the car.

I claim;

1. In-a car dumper, a cradle adapted to receive a car, a support for thecradle, clamp holding counterweights mounted in the support, and meansfor lowerin the clamps onto the car through the action of gravity at thebeginning of the turning movement of the cradle and means operative onlyafter a predetermined movement of the cradle for connecting the holdingcounterweights to the clamps.

2. In a car damper, a cradle adapted to receive a car, a support for thecradle, means for turning the cradle, a movable car clamp, a revolubledrum carried by the cradle having arope connected to the clamp, and acounterweight mounted in the support for exerting a turning effort onthe drum.

3. In a car dumper, a cradle adapted to receive a car and to be turnedto dump the car, a support for the cradle, a car clamp carried by thecradle, a drum also carried by the cradle and having holding and liftingropesconnected to the clamp, and a counterweight mounted in the supportfor exerting a turning effort on the drum.

4. In a car damper, a cradle adapted toreceive a car and to be turned todump the car,- a support for the cradle, a car clamp carried by thecradle, a drum also carried by the era dle and having a ropeconnectionwith-the clamp, a counterweight mounted in the support forexerting a turning effort on the drum, and means for connecting and.disconnecting the counterweight and drum.

5. In a car dumper, a cradle adapted to receive a car and to be turnedto dump the car, a support for thecradle, a car clamp carried by thecradle, a drum also carried by the cradle and having holding and liftingropes connected to the clamp, a counterweight mounted in the support,and mechanism for causing the counterweight to exert a turning effort onthe drum when the cradle has been.

turned a predetermined amount.

6. In a car dumper, a cradle adapted to receive a car and to be turnedto dump the car,

a support for the cradle, a car clamp carried by the cradle, a drum alsocarried by the eradle and having holding and lifting ropes connected tothe clamp, a counterweight for exerting a turning effort on the drum,and

mechanism by which during a portion of the turning movement of thecradle from and to normal posltion the counterweight 1s caused ,to exerta turning effort on the drum, the

' ceive a car and to be turned to dump the same,

' a support for the cradle, car clamps carried by the cradle, drumscarried by the cradle and provided with holding and lifting ropesconnected to the clamps and adapted when turned in one direction to windin the holding ropes and when turned in the opposite direction to windin the lifting ropes, and a counterweight mounted in the support forrotating the drum.

9. In a car dump-er, a cradle adapted to receive a car and to'be turnedto dump the same, a support for the cradle, car clamps carried by thecradle, drums carried by the cradle and provided with holding andlifting 1 ropes connected to the clamps and adapted when turned in onedirection to wind in the holding ropes and when turned in the oppositedirection to wind in the liftig ropes, and a counterweight mounted inthe support for rotating the drum, and means for automaticallyconnecting and disconnecting the counterweight and the drums responsiveto the rotation of the cradle.

10. In a car dumper, a cradle adapted to receive a car and to be turnedto dump the same, a support for the cradle, car clamps carried by thecradle, drums carried by the cradle and provided with holding andlifting ropes connected to the clamps and adapted when turned in onedirection to wind in the holding ropes and when turned in the op-' 11. Acar dumper comprising a rotatable.

cradle, a car holding clamp thereon, a clamp drum rotatably mounted onthe cradle, clamp raising and lowering cables wound there about, acounterweight drum mounted for rotation independent of the clamp drum,aholding counterweight removed from the cradle, a cable leading therefromand wound about the counterweight drum and automatic means for lockingthe drums together toward the end of the cradleexcursion adj acent thedumping position.

12. A car dumper comprising a rotatable cradle, a car holding clampthereon, a clamp drum rotatably mounted on the cradle, clamp raising andlowering cables wound thereabout, a counterweight drum mounted forrotation independent of the clamp drum, a holding counterweight removedfrom the cradle, a cable leading therefrom and wound about thecounterweight drum and automatic means for locking the drums togethertoward the end of the cradle excursion adjacent the dumping position,.the automatic means in-' eluding a clutch mechanism interposed betweenthe drums and a cam adapted to hold the clutch mechanism in inoperativeposition during the movement of the clamp toward and from a car.

13. A car dumper comprising a rotatable cradle, a car holding clampthereon, a clamp drum rotatably mounted on the cradle, clamp raising andlowering cables wound thereabout, a counterweight drum mounted forrotation independent of the clamp drum, a holding counterweight removedfrom the cradle, a cable leading therefrom and wound about thecounterweight drum and auto matic means for locking the drums togethertoward the end of the cradle excursion adjacent the dumping position,and means for rotating the counterweight drum during rotation of thecradle to take up the slack in the cradle to take upthe slack in thecounter weight cable, said means comprising a recessed counterweight anda' cable leading therefrom and wound about the counterweight drum in adirection opposite to the counterweight cable.

15. A car dumper comprising a rotatable cradle, a car holding clampthereon, a clamp drum rotatably mounted on the cradle, clamp raising andlowering cables wound thereabout, a counterweight drum associated withthe clamp drum of greater diameter, a counterweight removed from thecradle and a cable leading therefrom and wound about the counterweightdrum.

16. A car dumper comprising a rotatable cradle, a car holding clampthereon, a clamp drum rotatably mounted on the cradle, clamp raising andlowering cables wound thereabout, a counterweight drum associated withthe clamp drum of greater diameter, a counterweight removed from thecradle and a cable leading therefrom and wound about the counterweightdrum, and means associated with both. drums for rotating them to take upthe slack in the counterweight cable and to raise and lower the clamps.

17. A car dumper comprising a rotatable cradle, a car holding clampthereon, a clamp drum rotatably mounted on the cradle, clamp raising andlowering cables wound ther about, a counterweight drum associated withthe clamp drum of greater diameter, a cormterweight removed from thecradle and a cable leading therefrom and wound about the counterweightdrum, and means associated with both drums for rotating them to take upthe slack in the counterweight cableand to raise and lower the clamps,said means ineluding a reset 0 rriage mounted for arcuate movement aboutthe periphery of the cradle,

a stop limiting the movement of the carriage. and cables and sheavesinterposed between the carriage and cradle and associated with thedrums.

18. A car dumper comprising a rotatable cradle, a car holding clampthereon, a clamp J drum rotatably mounted on the cradle, clamp raisingand lowering cables wound thereabout, a counterweight drum mounted forretation independent of the clamp drum, a holding counterweight removedfrom the'cradle, a cable leading therefrom and wound about thecounterweight drum and automatic means for locking the drums togethertoward the end of the cradle excursion adjacent the dumping position, aratchet onone of the drums, a pawl on theother, yielding means tendingto force them into engagement, a cam tending to hold them out ofengagement and means for rotating the drums to disengage the pawl andcam and lock the drums together after the clamps are seated on a car.

19. A car dumper comprising a rotatable cradle, a car holding clampthereon, a clamp drum rotatably mounted on the cradle, clamp raising andlowering cables wound thereabout. a counterweight drum mounted forrotation independent of the clamp drum, a holdiing counterweight removedfrom the cradle,.

drums, a pawl on the other, yielding means tending toforce them intoengagement, a cam tending to hold them out of engagement and means forrotating the drums to disengage the pawl and cam and lock the drumstogether after the clamps are seated on a car, and a single cable, acounterweight and stop associated therewith, sheaves over which thecable travels and means for changing the effective length of the cableto rotate the drums, the ends of the cable being dead endedone on eachof the drums.

20. In a car dumper, a rotatable car holding cradle, a clamp thereonmovable toward and from the car, a clamp holding ropeand a clamp liftingrope, means interposed between the cradle and its support for operatingthe lifting rope, to raise the clamp away from the car as thecradle'rotates into the upright position, a counterweight removed fromthe cradle adapted to exert a holding tension on the cable and to holdthe clamps when the car is in the dumping position only, and a take-upcounterweight adapted to exert a tension on the cables to maintain themtaut during rotation of the cradle.

21. In a car dumper, a cradle adapted to receive a car and to be turnedto dump the same, a support for the cradle, car clamps carried by thecradle, drums carried by the cradle and provided with holding andlifting ropes connected to the clamps and adapted when turned in theopposite direction to wind in the lifting ropes, and a clamp liftingcounterweight and a clamp holding counterweight adapted to exert turningforce on the IVILLARD E. ERICKSON.

